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It is Friday, January 1st, 2021 (Happy New Year!) and the Dallas Cowboys are set to play the most important game of their 2020 season on Sunday afternoon against the New York Giants. The game itself is only one half of the ultimate battle that Dallas needs to go their way in Week 17; they need a win and a loss from the Washington Football Team in order to win their fourth division title in seven seasons. There is legitimate thought that these two things can happen, anything is possible in the NFC East this season.
Last week, we saw the Cowboys skip a Friday practice due to Mike McCarthy allowing the players and staff time to be with their families on Christmas Day. As it is now New Year’s Day, there was some thought that this might be the case, but the Cowboys are holding virtual practice for a very different reason.
The Cowboys are holding virtual practice on Friday after a player tested positive for Covid-19
Unfortunately for the Cowboys, the reason for their virtual practice on the last day of the work week is in compliance with the league’s extended COVID-19 protocols. According to a report from NFL Network, the Cowboys had a player test positive for the coronavirus.
#Cowboys coach Mike McCarthy told reporters the team will work virtually today and that they are in extended COVID-19 protocols. They had a player test positive, source said.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 1, 2021
A player on Cowboys' 53-man roster has tested positive for COVID-19, a source said. This is the third player case during the regular season and second for a player on 53-man roster. QB Andy Dalton and DT Walter Palmore were the others.
— Michael Gehlken (@GehlkenNFL) January 1, 2021
The Cowboys have been tasked with navigating life amid COVID-19 like everybody else in the world. Ultimately it has not compromised their on-field status too severely. Andy Dalton is the highest-profile player that tested positive, but he did so while out with a concussion.
Sunday will see the Cowboys visit the New York Giants (who are in the exact same boat in terms of needing a win and Washington loss) and unfortunately the G-Men are also dealing with a positive test. They announced on Friday morning that their offensive line coach, Dave DeGuglielmo, tested positive and that they are also following all procedures and protocols.
We will keep you updated here at BTB as more information on this story becomes available.
Update: 3:40pm ET
The Dallas Cowboys are reportedly placing Justin Hamilton and Darian Thompson on the Reserve/Covid-19 list.
Breaking: Cowboys are placing DT Justin Hamilton and S Darian Thompson on reserve/COVID-19 list, source tells @usatodaysports
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) January 1, 2021
All the best to them.